New Zealand artist returns home as Composer-in-Residence
Alison is a New Zealand composer who has spent much of her life working in Amsterdam.
She will move to Wellington in July to take up residence in the former Thorndon home of celebrated New Zealand composer the late Douglas Lilburn, where she will follow in the footsteps of previous composers-in-residence such as Dame Gillian Whitehead, Lyell Cresswell and John Elmsly.
Alison will be NZSM's 13th composer-in-residence. She studied political philosophy, composition and violin performance at Victoria University in the 1980s before moving to the Netherlands, where she studied music at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague. She has lived there ever since, and has established a vibrant career in the Dutch musical scene.
Her works often involve improvisational, theatrical and multimedia elements, and deal with issues of culture, identity and biography. With husband Jan-Bas Bollen, she has established a multimedia duo SYNC featuring electric violin, electric bass, electronics and visuals, which has performed around New Zealand.
NZSM director Euan Murdoch says the School will be delighted to welcome Alison back in July.
"This residency provides composers with an incredible opportunity to connect and, in some cases, to reconnect with the vibrant music scene in Wellington."
During her residency, Alison hopes to write a number of works, including some in which performers operate foot percussion alongside their normal instruments. Her plans include composing a series of vocal works using Dadaist texts from the Netherlands and Belgium dating from World War I, a choral work in memory of her teacher and friend Jack Body, as well as a music-theatre work for actor and sextet.
Alison will also work with staff and students of NZSM's composition programme, presenting seminars and workshops and providing informal feedback on postgraduate compositions.